Beckham back in MLS

RONALD BLUMThe Associated Press

Published Thursday, July 16, 2009

HOBOKEN, N.J. -- David Beckham flashed his famous smile and said he was happy to be back. What he wouldn't say is how long he'll stay.

The 34-year-old midfielder with the talented right foot and ever-changing hair styles returns to the Los Angeles Galaxy for Thursday night's game against the lowly New York Red Bulls following a half-season loan to AC Milan.

He's not looking ahead -- not quite yet -- to playing in next year's World Cup or to another offseason loan. But make no mistake, there's a high likelihood he will quit Rodeo Drive for Via della Spiga again at the end of this season because that's what England manager Fabio Capello suggested.

"The England manager has made it very clear to me," Beckham said. "So I will do everything possible. I'll always regret it if I didn't do everything ... to give myself a chance to be involved in that."

And this is someone who doesn't easily take advice -- and knows it.

"I've been criticized by, you know, Pele before. I've been criticized by George Best before. And these are people that I've respected throughout my career, the people you look up to," Beckham said. "At the end of the day, you know, you hear the criticism but it's about how you deal with it and how it affects you, and it doesn't affect me."

Beckham, runner-up in FIFA player of the year voting in 1999 and 2001 while with Manchester United, joined the Galaxy in July 2007 under a $32.5 million, five-year deal following four seasons as a Galactico at Real Madrid.

Slowed by ankle and knee injuries, he played just eight matches for the Galaxy that year with one goal and three assists. While healthier last year -- he had 10 assists in 25 league matches -- Los Angeles once again missed the playoffs.

Off the field, he's been a smashing success. MLS says more than 400,000 Beckham Galaxy jerseys have been sold in the past two years. The average attendance for Galaxy games in which he was eligible to play was 28,965, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That's nearly double MLS' average of 16,770 in 2007 and 16,460 the following year.

But some of the buzz has worn off. The Galaxy drew 66,237 for their 5-4 win at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest soccer crowd at Giants Stadium for a U.S. league game in 27 years. For last year's 2-2 tie, attendance dropped to 46,754.

"If there's any disappointment on anybody's part, it was that for a wide variety of reasons, David wasn't able to achieve the same success on the field for himself and the Galaxy as he was able to achieve for the sport in this country and Major League Soccer off the field," MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a telephone interview.

"I think when we look back upon this, it will be always be part of the story that at least the first two seasons didn't deliver as much on the field as everyone, I'm sure including David, had hoped. But this story, this book, isn't fully written yet. We still have this year and hopefully more time left with David."

Beckham even drew criticism from teammate Landon Donovan, who said in a book out this week, Grant Wahl's "The Beckham Experiment," that the former England captain gave up on the Galaxy last year and was unprofessional. Beckham, in turn, called Donovan unprofessional for speaking without confronting him first.

At the behest of Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, the pair spoke last Saturday after the team's 1-0 victory over LA rival Chivas USA.

"We sat down, went through everything, went through everything that had been said," Beckham recalled. "Landon apologized, and I told him my view on things, and it's forgot about."

With the Galaxy performing far better this year -- at 5-3-9, they have a chance to make the playoffs -- Arena appears at ease that Beckham will integrate himself into the roster without much turmoil.

"Having David on our team is just a fabulous asset. It was a little bit awkward, the loan process, but fully within the conditions of his contract," said the former U.S. national team coach, who took over at the Galaxy last August. "I'm hopeful that we will prove to everyone that it's been a great opportunity for not only David, but it will reap benefits for the Galaxy, as well."

Beckham has the right to terminate his contract after this season. He also has the right to purchase an MLS team in the future, so even if he leaves again, it's likely he'll be back.

"What I've done for the league so far has been very successful," he said. "It's never going to happen over one or two years. It's going to happen five, 10 years, and, you know, if I'm not playing by the time it takes off and really takes off like we hope it will and like we know it will, then I will still be part of it, because I'm committed to it and I'm committed to the cause."